Teen Golfer May Have Pro Future

August 20, 1985|By Paul Heidelberg, Staff Writer

PALM BEACH GARDENS — Bob Below, head instructor at the PGA National Golf Club, has seen a lot of golfers come and go in his 37 years of teaching.

He has taught young and old, men and women. After three years of work with Riviera Beach`s Michelle McGann, Below has come to a conclusion. Comparing McGann to other women golfers -- including past and present professional standouts Patty Berg and Nancy Lopez -- Below said bluntly: ``She could be the best ever.``

McGann, 15, regularly drives the ball 235 yards. A resume of her six-year competitive career fills six typewritten pages. As a freshman at Rosarian High last year, McGann shot a 71 at the district tournament -- the lowest score for both girls and boys.

Of the nine tournaments she entered this summer, she won the overall championship or age-group championship in all but one, when she finished third at a tournament at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach with an uncustomary 80.

She won the Palm Beach County Junior Championship last month at Indian Springs Country Club in Boynton Beach with rounds of 70 and 71.

What makes McGann`s accomplishments even more remarkable is the fact that she has undergone two eye operations and has been diagnosed as a diabetic -- all within the last three years.

The eye operations resulted from her being hit in the eye with a softball.

``She had double vision before and after the first eye operation,`` her father, Bucky, said. ``The doctors told us that we had two choices -- she could either have single vision looking down, or single vision looking up. With her golf game we knew we had to have her vision corrected so that she could look down with single vision to see the ball. That`s what they did during the second operation.``

If McGann raises her head before looking up, she sees with single vision. If she does not raise her head, but rolls her eyes upward, the double vision occurs. She will have the condition the rest of her life, her father said.

To treat her diabetes, McGann has undergone experimental treatments in Canada with the drug cyclosporine as an alternative to taking insulin injections.

``She has been on cyclosporine for treatment of diabetes longer than any other person in the world,`` her father said. ``She is continually monitored on her progress -- the latest results are due in a month.``

McGann doesn`t like to speak about her health problems, but when pressed, she offers lessons in optimism: ``I never thought about either of them stopping me from playing golf,`` she said. ``I just figured I had to go on.``

``Michelle is pretty amazing that way,`` her father said. ``It`s a setback for a second, but as long as she can continue to play, it doesn`t seem to faze her -- it`s just an adjustment, sort of like hitting a bad shot and getting over it to go on to the next one. She doesn`t use any of that as a handicap for not playing well.

``There have been been times in tournaments I`m sure where her eyes or diabetes have affected her, but she has never used that excuse. She would just say someone was just better than her that day.``

McGann matches her natural talent with hard work and dedication. Before leaving for the Jaycee`s International Pee Wee Championship in Orlando last Thursday and Friday, she took a last-minute lesson from Below, who gave her some advice on her grip.

``She`s a tireless worker,`` Below said. ``Right now, she`s the best female golfer I`ve ever coached. She already has timing and tempo. She doesn`t have any weaknesses. She is good in her long game, short game and putting.

``The only thing lacking now is the national experience -- getting used to different kinds of grasses. In Florida we have Bermuda grasses. A lot of courses up North have bent grass. With bent grass, the ball reacts differently when it leaves the ground and when it hits.

``It`s something only experience can help you with. Next year I`m planning to have her spend some time at a course up North so she can get used to the bent grass. There`s no question about it, if her health holds up and we can keep this diabetes where it`s at, her potential is unlimited.``

At last week`s tournament in Orlando, played on Disney World`s Magnolia Course, McGann shot rounds of 76-74 on the par-74 course to win her girls` 14-15 division. McGann`s brother J.C. scored the first win of his career, winning the tournament`s 6-7 division with scores of 33-31 on a special six- hole children`s course.

Golf is a family affair in the McGann household.

``What you have here is a team effort,`` Below said. ``Her parents are very supportive and Michelle has a tremendous desire to succeed. The mechanical part of the game I can take care of -- a lot of people have good mechanics, but don`t know what to do with it.

``But when you combine the parents` support and a desire to win with good mechanics -- that`s what makes a champion.``